‘She never says goodbye when she leaves’: the Romanian families separated by migration

The Guardian UK Monday 29 June 2026, 07:00 UTC By Andrei Popoviciu in Târgovişte 1 min read

Key Points

Many thousands of children live with at least one parent working abroad in what is one of the EU’s poorest countriesMaria’s day runs differently to those of most 11-year-olds. By the time other children in her home town of Târgoviște are still waking up, she’s making sure her grandmother takes her morning pills. After school, before she starts homework, she helps with cooking and cleaning, and gives her grandmother her treatment again.

Many thousands of children live with at least one parent working abroad in what is one of the EU’s poorest countries

Maria’s day runs differently to those of most 11-year-olds. By the time other children in her home town of Târgoviște are still waking up, she’s making sure her grandmother takes her morning pills.

After school, before she starts homework, she helps with cooking and cleaning, and gives her grandmother her treatment again. When her grandmother needs to see a doctor – sometimes across town, sometimes a two-hour bus ride to Bucharest – Maria* is the one who takes her.

Romanian (ORG) EU (ORG) Bucharest (LOCATION) Maria* (LOCATION)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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‘She never says goodbye when she leaves’: the Romanian families separated by migration

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